TRAVESTY (n): circa 1668: a burlesque translation or literary or artistic imitation usually grotesquely incongruous in style, treatment, or subject matter.
"Monumental Travesties" is a world premiere by a local playwright, Psalmeyene 24. His vision for this work is at times incongruous in all three, yet engaging and challenging. Three characters, bring three perspectives to the anti-racist, anti-white supremacist action of one, and I can safely say, "buckle-up, Buttercup! Cause this roller coaster is full of twists and turns and the occasional drop." For a comedy, some of the turns are downright thought provoking. Just when you think you've got a handle on the through line, something absurd will happen, and you'll feel the need to think again.
All three actors gave performances that were in for a penny in for a pound. The cast consists of a Black couple, Chance (Louis E. Davis) and Brenda (Renee Elizabeth Wilson) and their White neighbor, Adam (Jonathan Feuer). They're challenges for each actor, but the heavy lifting in terms of the unity of the themes belongs to Louis E. Davis. Davis is a fine actor; however, I never caught the spark from him. Every line made sense on its own. Yet how did they fit together from start to finish? As his actions became more and more off the chart, I lost sight of his humanity.
Next up was Adam, played by Jonathan Feuer. More than the other two, Feuer was asked to do things that were beyond credulity at times--a total tightrope act to pull off, and yet he managed to get to the other side every time. I also appreciated the way he imbued Adam with tells--mannerisms that consistently aligned with the emotional energy of the moment.
Renee Elizabeth Wilson's Brenda spent a great deal of time reacting to the male characters, until she didn't. I think of these sorts of characters at the ball in the pinball machine. When her turn came, safe on the foundation that Feuer had already laid, she took charge of the final moments. Her character seemed to join in the madness of the evening without a flinch. Then she guided the whole plane to a safe landing. When I realized she was in this play, I was honestly excited to see her act again. Last spring was my introduction to her talents at Round House Theatre's excellent production of August Wilson's "Radio Golf". And now, I will continue to look forward to seeing more of her talents in the future.
Did I mention it was a comedy? It was, and it was funny, too. The fact that for a Mosaic production the audience was about 70% capacity with many catching and appreciating the quips tossed here and there like petals from a "she-loves-me" daisy game, validated that fact. The worst is to attend a comedy that isn't funny... Although there were a couple of moments when I alone found the action or dialogue funny enough to laugh out loud--and I did!
Perhaps, the best part was my good fortune was choosing a seat directly behind a wonderfully large, African American woman with a honey deep contralto and a genius comic timing at verbally expressing her thoughts. She was a joy! At one point one of the characters was told to take off his clothes to wit he gives the antagonist a "what did you ask me to do?" glance, and she said a very disapproving, "Ooooh, uh-uh." It was everything I could do to just laugh politely with the audience. Another time, the same character was humiliated in another way by this antagonist, and this time she said, "Oh, Baby. No." And still another when we learn that Brenda has flushed Chance's mother's ashes down the toilet, she offered the definitive, "Lord Jesus, what were you thinking?" I did loose it, but the audience was also already laughing at the absurdity of the confession given the events that proceeded it. Mind you, her comments were not audible beyond about the two seats on either side and the three directly behind her. With both of the seats to our lefts empty, and her friend sitting on her right, it did feel a little like my own special "Comedy Anti-Racist Theatre 4000."
The set was gorgeous and functional, the costumes interesting and appropriate. All the other supporting effect copacetic. After a classic Drama on Friday, a contemporary Musical on Saturday, a world premiere Comedy today was the perfect third panel in this weekend theatre triptych.
The catalyst of the play is the severing of the head of Abraham Lincoln from this 19th century statue located in Lincoln Park in SW DC. The subservient posture of the enslaved African American and the God-like superiority of Lincoln are central to the controversy that this monument--which was paid for by donations from former enslaved people. A copy of this work displayed in Boston was removed in 2021. Here the cast, writer and director are pictured during a pre-performance field trip to the site during the rehearsal phase of the play.
PROLOGUE
Afterward to walked over to Mozzeria Restaurant and Neapolitan Pizzeria for a pie and a glass of the Thyme-Lemonade. The drink alone is to die for. My go to pizza there is the Oscar; dressed with white-sauce, spinach, mozzarella cheese and pickled red onions, it sings! It was on the menu, and I clearly chose it, but apparently they've dropped it from their Menu!! Why do all the pretty things go away?
When my pie came, it was obviously NOT an Oscar. I inquired, fearing that I had been given someone else's order. The server--now beyond our ability to communicate with gestures and my very limited ASL abilities, got a little black pad and wrote out that they had run out of Oscars. (It wasn't until I got home and checked that I saw it was no longer on the Online Menu.) So, I settled for a mushroom pie with chevre (goat's cheese), thin sliced portobellos and truffle oil--that appeared in its stead. Checking the menu again, I noticed it was supposed to come with arugula, too; but they must have run out. Discount for the mix-up and/or missing ingredient? Nope. The kind of experience that makes me think this is about to be a very short lived tradition...
Adam (Jonathan Feuer) arrives with the head of Lincoln that he found in his rose garden Both Chance (Louis E. Davis) and Brenda (Renee Elizabeth Wilson) fain ignorance as to it's provenance.
Brenda watches Chance cook up a quick lie.
Chance makes Adam reverse roles in a tableau of the monument
Adam plays along, but doesn't get it. Soon he will asked to take off his clothes... "Oooh. Uh-uh."
Two pics from the first part of the play. Too bad there weren't more from later in the plot.
